Female AF leaders inspire Airman to succeed

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Stacy Sanchez
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
"Sweat plus sacrifice equals success," 

These words inspired me to where I am today as a female Airman. 

Other words of wisdom like these have probably pushed other female Airmen like myself, to be the best they can be while serving their country. 

The achievements women in the military have made in the past gave me and other young women the opportunity have an equal status as to that of men today. Because of these accomplishments, we should be celebrating the history of women not just throughout the month of March, but all year round. 

More than 229,000 women are serving as active-duty service members throughout the Department of Defense, and the numbers are increasing with each passing day. 

And now more than ever, female Airmen are taking leadership roles and making decisions that change Airmen's everyday lives. 

We have women in leadership roles such as Lt. Gen. Terry Gabreski, the vice commander of the Air Force Materiel Command, who is one of the highest ranking female officers in the Air Force. And women at Edwards like Col. Clara Nielsen, the 95th Medical Group commander, Col. Dawn Jackson, the 95th Aerospace Medical Squadron commander, and Senior Master Sgt. Maria McLernon, the 95th Mission Support Group superintendent, who are taking leadership roles on base. 

Since I am a first term Airmen I look at women like General Gabreski, Colonel Jackson, Colonel Nielsen and Sergeant McLernon, as my inspiration to be something more. In my eyes, these ladies have shown me that it is possible to take the lead and make a name for myself in the Air Force. 

While these women are playing the role of leaders and war fighters, some of them are taking other roles as wives, mothers, sisters, daughters and friends. 

These women have provided support to other servicemembers. Without women like these, the smallest unit of our country and our families would be in pieces. They give moral and emotional support to everyone. They are the rock of our family foundations.
Women throughout the past and present have made major contributions to the history books that we as Airmen, male and female, should commemorate. 

We should not only remember those who came before us, but, we should also give a little thanks to the women who are serving now and who are currently discovering and exploring new paths. We have female Airmen who are currently fighting the war in Iraq, and are doing heroic deeds to protect our country. 

So make it a goal that you become the next female Airman who makes it General or who raises the bar for other Airmen who follow. 

As Ms. Eleanor Roosevelt wrote, "the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." 

So I, as an Airman who is new to the Air Force, thank my female Airmen of the past and present for making my dreams come true by giving me the opportunity of serving in our beloved Air Force.